Part 2: Episode of Vāgura

A wealthy sheth, Vāgura, lived there and his wife, Bhadrā, was barren, worn out by prayers and gifts to the gods for a child. One day the sheth and his wife went to the garden, Śakaṭamukha, and for a long time played like gods, gathering flowers, et cetera. Roaming about in their play, they saw a large dilapidated temple and both entered it from curiosity. The husband and wife saw a statue of Mallinātha that was like an ointment of nectar for the eyes and they bowed to it with faith:

“O god, if a son or daughter is born to us by your favor, we will erect a temple to you. From that time on, we shall always be worshippers of yours.” With these words the sheth and his wife went to their own house.

By the power of a Vyantarī devoted to the Arhats, who was present there, an embryo developed in Bhadrā’s womb, giving confidence to the sheth. From the day of the embryo Vāgura began joyfully to raise up a temple as well as himself from despair. Vāgura himself went there and made a pūjā three times a day to Malli’s statue, having taken a vow to do so, pious. Knowing that he was a worshipper of the Jina, the monks and nuns met in his house to (start) their wandering and he always honored them. From constant contact with the monks, the sheth and his wife, who had excellent understanding, became lay-disciples, knowing the rules.

Now the Blessed Vīra stood motionless in statuesque posture between the garden Śakaṭamukha and the city. The Indra of Īśāna went there to worship the Lord Jina and saw Vāgura going by with the intention of worshipping Malli’s statue. Īśāna said to Vāgura: “Why do you pass by a visible Lord Jina before your eyes to worship a statue of one? For the Blessed Vīra himself, the last Tīrthaṅkara wandering as an ascetic, stands here in statuesque posture.” “I am sorry.” With these words, he made the circumambulation three times and paid homage to the Lord with devotion, his body contracted like a tortoise. After Īśāna and Vāgura had bowed to the Lord, they both departed; and the Blessed One went to the hamlet Uṣṇāka.